Shop The Look

Dress: Old Navy (shop similar here + here) // Shoes: Forever 21 (cute alternative here + similar here) // Crossbody bag: Nordstrom (shop this one on sale here + similar here) // Necklace: Purchased this in Guatemala & it's so hard to find anything like it! Here are some fun picks of mine: (love this here + here)

Happy Saturday! It's awfully gloomy today in Orange County so I figured I'd share a look I shot during warmer days. I purchased this knit dress at Old Navy back in November and it's quickly become my go-to dress for all occasions.  I've worn it casually (like I'm wearing it here), I dressed it up for Thanksgiving, I've worn it at work...like it's literally been worn left and right haha.  The nice thing about this dress is although it's a long sleeve dress, it's still comfortable enough to wear under the sun.  I mean I can already imagine wearing it this summer with some fun espadrilles and a sun hat-- CAN'T WAIT.  Anyway, I'll leave this post short and sweet and remind you all that you can shop similar items of this look by clicking on the links above.  Also, I'm working on a few fun collaborations with some awesome brands soon, so I might be straying away a little bit from styled posts for the rest of the month.  The fun part of that is when I do have a new styled post up, it'll most likely be all about color because I don't know if you guys realize this but, we're just a few weeks away from my favorite season, yay!  Talk to you all soon!

Xo..Melissa Victoria

Do What You Love To Do on Valentine's Day

Well here we are, the night before Valentine's Day!  How many of you don't have plans yet?  Don't worry, I'm kind of on the same boat haha.  Martin and I haven't ever really celebrated Valentine's Day though on the actual date.  Like we have, but it's always been minor because 1. We hate lines and 2. We would much rather celebrate a day or two either before or after February 14th.  It's all about simplicity with us and doing things we love together.  Tomorrow won't be any different considering the holiday lands in the middle of the week and we both have jobs to get to in the morning.  For this blog post, I wanted to share some examples of what Martin and I enjoy doing on a regular evening to hopefully get your gears into thinking of simple things you and your significant other like to do.  Whether this includes dancing, a favorite local spot or watching a movie series, I totally encourage you guys to do something you both enjoy tomorrow, all the while being mindful of a school/work night.  Alright let's get to the nitty gritty:

1. Walk and Chat

Martin and I love to hang out around Seal Beach and chat about our personal endeavors and what we want together.  I feel we're both very selfish with our time as individuals but very much in tune when it comes to how it's going to benefit each other.  For example, I needed to have my Master's degree before I jumped into anything serious and I accomplished it.  Martin wants to have a house this year, so there he goes making his moves.  Our walks are full of setting goals and I'm always left so inspired and focused.  I wouldn't mind taking a walk tomorrow to celebrate, plus, we'll more than likely take Martin's dog, Nacho, with us and we all know how much I adore that pup. 

2. Watch A TV Favorite

Since the very beginning of my relationship with Martin, our thing was to watch MTV's The Challenge lol.  I know -- that show is STILL running.  It's our guilty pleasure and I personally always look forward to new seasons because it only means date night at Martin's!  We have a few other shows we like to binge on, but honestly, I just love when we both get to sit back, sip on tea and watch a dumb reality show.  

3. Beverage Date

It's a little chilly out these days so sign me up for anything warm!  I have a huge sweet tooth and tend to crave something sweet every night at around 8:00 PM.  It never fails and I'm never satisfied unless I have a tiny bite or sip of somethinnnng.  With a Starbucks just around the corner or a juice shop not too far from Martin's house, we're usually down to make the trip to pick something up.  Usually, it's coffee or tea during colder seasons and a nice juice run during summer.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day everyone!

Xo..Melissa Victoria

What I'm Packing For Seattle

 Hey guys! I'm heading to Seattle, WA for the first time ever this weekend.  It was totally a spontaneous trip and I'm super excited to visit this city.  I've heard raving reviews and there's not one person who hasn't told me that I'm going to completely fall in love.  Since I've never been there before, I'm obviously a little concerned about the weather.  I know Seattle is notoriously known for its rain, so needless to say, I felt like I had to prepare.  After checking out the blogs and social media pages of a few Seattle bloggers, I had an idea of what to take with me and I felt way more at ease.  With only a carry on, I had to basically centralize my weekend wardrobe around a white coat and my black rain boots.  Everything in between just fell into my bag and obviously I wanted to share some of my favorite items.  I'll definitely snap a few pictures of everything on when I'm in Seattle, but in the meantime, check out some of my picks below.  Catch you guys in the Emerald City!

Xo..Melissa Victoria

Rain Boots: Michael Kors (shop similar here + here)

Jeans: Old Navy (shop here) // Scarf: HM (shop similar here)

Pink Top: HM (shop here) // Grey Top: Zara (shop here)

Beanie: Uniqlo (shop here) // Umbrella: (shop similar here)

Super Bowl Party Decor | DIY

Guys, my second favorite holiday is basically here and I'm STOKED.  There are a lot of things I live for and football season is definitely one of them!  Needless to say, Super Bowl Sunday is something I look forward to every single freakin' year.  This Sunday, I'll be celebrating at my parent's house and am already thinking of all the guac, buffalo wings and hot dogs my poor little tummy will be intaking (I'm gonna need a detox juice on Monday).  If you're throwing a party this year, this DIY is for you!  There's nothing like a little football decor to say farewell to the season so let's get started.

You'll Need:

Brown craft paper - I purchased mine at Michael's for 69 cents. 

Glue stick

Scissors

Tape

Football stitch clipart - I found mine here or you can just draw your own on white paper.  Totally up to you.

How To:

1. Take your craft paper and tilt it to make a diamond shape. Fold it in half to make a pyramid.

2. Take the bottom right corner and fold up making a cone shape.  You're basically connecting the bottom corner to the very top corner.  Once they're connected, just stick a piece of tape inside to seal the two pieces.

3. Next, take the bottom left corner and fold up to create a cone-like shape. You're going to do some rolling and don't be afraid if you have to re-shape the first fold you made.  Also, stay aware of the bottom of the cone and try to not leave a hole.

4. Finally, take the football stitches and glue them onto the middle of the cone and you're done!